Nearly 19,000 Trees Cut Down: A Scheme to Destroy Forests Exposed in Lviv Region, Suspicions Raised Against Local Deputy

In a shocking revelation, authorities in the Lviv region have uncovered a serious scheme involving the illegal destruction of forests, leading to the loss of nearly 19,000 trees. This alarming information was disclosed by the General Prosecutor of Ukraine, Ruslan Kravchenko, through a post on his official Facebook page. According to Kravchenko, the mastermind behind this criminal activity is the director of the Slavskoe subsidiary forestry enterprise 'Halsiliss', who also serves as an active member of the local village council.

From 2019 to 2023, the official systematically issued official permits, known as logging tickets, for conducting so-called 'thinnings of rare forests'. However, as highlighted by Kravchenko, there is no legal provision for such a type of logging in Ukrainian legislation, indicating an attempt to legalize the unlawful destruction of forests.

According to information provided by the General Prosecutor, this illegal activity has resulted in the destruction of nearly 19,000 trees in the Stryi district, causing environmental damage estimated at over 103 million hryvnias. To carry out these operations, the suspect involved private enterprises that were unaware of his criminal intentions and believed their activities were legal.

The official has already been charged with illegal logging, committed by a group of individuals in conspiracy, which resulted in severe consequences, as stipulated in part 4 of Article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The prosecution has filed a motion with the court requesting the imposition of a preventive measure in the form of round-the-clock house arrest, as well as the seizure of the suspect's property.

General Prosecutor Kravchenko emphasized that no position or status should grant anyone the right to destroy Ukrainian forests for personal gain. 'For every tree cut down, there will be legal consequences,' Kravchenko stated, underscoring the importance of protecting the country’s natural resources.

Further details from the State Bureau of Investigations revealed that during the specified period, the official issued 58 logging tickets for illegal 'thinnings of rare forests', which enabled the illegal felling of 18,985 trees on the territory of the subordinate enterprise. The penalties for the charges brought against him could lead to imprisonment for up to seven years.

It is worth noting that previously, in the Prykarpattia region, officials from a forestry enterprise are facing trial based on materials from the State Bureau of Investigations due to illegal logging activities in the National Natural Park 'Hutsulshchyna', which resulted in damages exceeding 700 million hryvnias. These cases highlight the urgent issue of illegal logging in Ukraine and the necessity for stringent oversight of forestry enterprises.

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